Gareth Bale

[marinello59]

I've watched it over and over again. Initially I thought it wasn't a penalty but now I think it was. Scotland got what they deserved last night. The ref was poor but not as poor as the guy managing our team.

[HibeesLA]

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No conspiracy or robbing in Scotland getting beat tonight is all I'm saying

So no goal chopped off for the ball not going out of play?

Regardless of the penalty, that was a game changer, and Scotland would have been well in command at that point.

[weonlywon6-2]

I didnt think it was a penalty however he was the difference between the sides tonight.We could not deal with him at all.

Wales were rubbish and i never thought we would lose after we scored.Dont see why Fletchers goal was ruled out,had that counted we would have won easily.

Levien is not the answer, we need a big and trusted name in charge.We are not going to qualify now so lets make the most of the rest of the games with a new manager.

[GordonHFC]

Who really cares. At least it now means we are even in the cheating penalty stakes in a World Cup qualifier. The taffs have waited a long time for revenge?

[Holmesdale Hibs]

Don't think it was a penalty. In fact, I think it's generous to suggest anything other than Bale took a dive. From the clip posted earlier its difficult to see any contact. Good player though, imagine how good he'll be when he evolves.

I only saw the Fletcher goal in the pub last night and they showed a replay right along the goal line that showed the ball was nowhere near going out. Of that's why it was chopped of then it's a crazy decision.

I'm not saying we played well or even deserved to win but the ref screwed us in that game.

[Biggie]

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Don't think it was a penalty. In fact, I think it's generous to suggest anything other than Bale took a dive. From the clip posted earlier its difficult to see any contact. Good player though, imagine how good he'll be when he evolves.

I only saw the Fletcher goal in the pub last night and they showed a replay right along the goal line that showed the ball was nowhere near going out. Of that's why it was chopped of then it's a crazy decision.

I'm not saying we played well or even deserved to win but the ref screwed us in that game.

2-0 game over...welsh will be loving this after them bleating on about the poor decisions they've had in previous w/c qualifiers against us...here's hoping we're not still greeting about it 20 years from now.

[TornadoHibby]

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I do apologise, the only part I made up was I said left foot instead of right foot , although that was a mistake instead of a guenuine error.

The Scotland player who tripped him has came out and held his hands up but hey don't let that get in the way of your point.

I think you are misguided in your "view" as anyone who has played sport knows when someone has been "clipped" and when someone "dives" or "simulates" being clipped in passing another player!

Bale clearly and very obviously kicks his own leg before falling to the ground when he is fully aware that Maloney was close enough to him to ensure that the very poor referree will award a penalty!

Whilst I think that Bale is a great footballer, there is no place in my admiration for him for cheating like he did with the penalty last night! His goal on the other hand.....what the ****** was Charlie Adam doing let him get too far away from him before making any attempt to prevent the inevitable shot which screamed home!

Whilst we are on the "we wuz done" theme, please tell me why Steven Fletcher's headed goal which would have put us 2 nil up was disallowed as I have watched the Sky replays several times now and can see no infringement!

[TornadoHibby]

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No conspiracy or robbing in Scotland getting beat tonight is all I'm saying

Unbelievable comment mate!

What about Fletcher's goal on top of Bale's cheating for the penalty???

2 nil up before Bale cheated would have ensured three points for Scotland!

[matty_f]

If, as hibstrooper is saying, Maloney said he fouled Bale then surely that's that - we accept it wasn't a dive and therefore Bank's not cheated?
Wouldn't Maloney have 100% certainty, rather than us armchair fans looking for the contact from fairly inconclusive angles?

[GoldenEagle]

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I can't believe what i'm hearing and reading from some other people.

There was quite clearly "zero" contact.

Watch the clip, then watch it again, then watch it yet again, there was "no" contact whatsoever.

Footballs dead with decisions like that.

Your the same guy who believes that additional refs on the goal line are a waste of space eh....anything to add after Scotland's 2nd goal was ruled out by lino trying to do two jobs, ie offside and ball out of play.
Heavens even at other end he may have spoke to ref said that 'no pen'.

[TornadoHibby]

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If, as hibstrooper is saying, Maloney said he fouled Bale then surely that's that - we accept it wasn't a dive and therefore Bank's not cheated?
Wouldn't Maloney have 100% certainty, rather than us armchair fans looking for the contact from fairly inconclusive angles?

I think the point is that Maloney apparently "accepted responsibility for the penalty" which is not an admission of committing any foul on Bale IMO!

I watched it on Sky several times Matty and did not see Maloney touch Bale but did very clearly see Bale kick the back of his own leg once past Maloney before falling to the turf as if Maloney had actually brought him down! When I played football (which wasn't yesterday) Bale would have been laughed off the park for what he did last night and he should have been yellow carded for it not encouraged to keep doing it as the penalty award will do for him!

[matty_f]

Why would Maloney accept responsibility for the penalty if he never touched him? That's absurd. I have never seen or heard a football watch someone dive then say it was their fault. That's mental.

[TornadoHibby]

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Why would Maloney accept responsibility for the penalty if he never touched him? That's absurd. I have never seen or heard a football watch someone dive then say it was their fault. That's mental.

Hmmmm.....!

Not really in my view as he could be admitting that he "was sucked into getting close enough to Bale to allow him to do what he did"!?

I've personally seen that kind of thing many times in modern football as this simulation disease grows more arms and legs by the game!

I'm not going to argue about this though. I believe that Maloney could be meaning that but understand that you don't!

I also believe, from what I have seen from every camera angle that Sky had on the incident last night (and there were more than a few) that Bale cheated and will never have the same respect for the guy again great player that he undoubtedly is!

[Hibstrooper]

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So no goal chopped off for the ball not going out of play?

Regardless of the penalty, that was a game changer, and Scotland would have been well in command at that point.

I worded my post specifically like that because I knew people would be complaining about that goal. It was annoying however balanced out by the fact our goal was offside. All I'm trying to say is that we weren't robbed and it wasn't Gareth Bale's or the ref's fault we got beat.

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If, as hibstrooper is saying, Maloney said he fouled Bale then surely that's that - we accept it wasn't a dive and therefore Bank's not cheated?
Wouldn't Maloney have 100% certainty, rather than us armchair fans looking for the contact from fairly inconclusive angles?

This is what still flabbergasts me. Maloney has come out and apologised which he wouldn't do if there wasn't any contact but still people are insistent and certain that they know better than the player himself.

[HibbyKeith]

The camera angles are not helping. personally I think there was very minimal contact on Bale's trailing leg, not enough for him to go down but enough to knock off course and into the back of his planted leg. There are folk complaining about Scotland should have been 2-0 up and plain sailing, but seem to be forgetting the blatant penalty that Wales should have had, after Berra sexually assaulted the lad on the 6 yard line that could have taken the game to 1-1.

The decision to disallow Fletcher's goal was disappointing, BUT.. Charlie Adam was offside prior to swinging the cross in, so justice done if we are going by the letter of the law....

Scotland got what they deserved last night. The sooner we get rid of Levein the better. I just hope they do it soon enough that whoever takes over gets the chance to play competitive games prior to the next euro qualifiers.

[Hibstrooper]

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I think you are misguided in your "view" as anyone who has played sport knows when someone has been "clipped" and when someone "dives" or "simulates" being clipped in passing another player!

Bale clearly and very obviously kicks his own leg before falling to the ground when he is fully aware that Maloney was close enough to him to ensure that the very poor referree will award a penalty!

Whilst I think that Bale is a great footballer, there is no place in my admiration for him for cheating like he did with the penalty last night! His goal on the other hand.....what the ****** was Charlie Adam doing let him get too far away from him before making any attempt to prevent the inevitable shot which screamed home!

Whilst we are on the "we wuz done" theme, please tell me why Steven Fletcher's headed goal which would have put us 2 nil up was disallowed as I have watched the Sky replays several times now and can see no infringement!

Have you seen Maloney's interview? I don't understand why you seem to be trying to interpret what he saying rather than just take it at face value?

Television footage suggested that Bale had tripped over his own feet in winning the penalty from which he scored the opener, but Shaun Maloney admitted that he clipped the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder.
"I accept responsibility for conceding the penalty," the Scotland midfielder said.

[LeighLoyal]

Bale is a cheat, the linesman is a crook and the ref a sh itter.

[Gala Foxes]

Charlie Adams was a disgrace at the 2nd goal, what was going through his mind ?

"Bale's taken a quick free kick, I should close him down, no, I've been on for a couple of minutes now and am knackered, lets face it i can't be arsed to challenge him"

Pitiful

[lapsedhibee]

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Have you seen Maloney's interview? I don't understand why you seem to be trying to interpret what he saying rather than just take it at face value?

Television footage suggested that Bale had tripped over his own feet in winning the penalty from which he scored the opener, but Shaun Maloney admitted that he clipped the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder.
"I accept responsibility for conceding the penalty," the Scotland midfielder said.

Haven't seen Maloney's interview, but the wording of his comment above is a bit odd. Following Michael Owen's statement about the two international penalties he earned against Argentinia, think there is going to be quite a bit more doublespeak to muddy the waters. Expect much more talk, for example, about "drawing contact" than "being fouled".

[TornadoHibby]

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Have you seen Maloney's interview? I don't understand why you seem to be trying to interpret what he saying rather than just take it at face value?

Television footage suggested that Bale had tripped over his own feet in winning the penalty from which he scored the opener, but Shaun Maloney admitted that he clipped the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder.
"I accept responsibility for conceding the penalty," the Scotland midfielder said.

No, I haven't been able to find it!!

Perhaps you could post a link to it so that I can look at what you keep quoting from?

[R'Albin]

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It was a penalty. Maloney got too close and just clipped Bale. It was a very slight contact, but a contact, and illegal, so a penalty.

The referee was eccentric to say the least, but IMO his complete ignoring of Idiot Berra's rugby tackle was cancelled out by his disallowing a perfectly good goal by Fletcher.

I can't see how anyone on the Scotland side can have any complaints, really - 90 minutes of Potter's trademark hoofball and the Welsh running rings round a non-existent midfield in the second half.

[tamig]

Bale was streets ahead of any other player on the park. He ripped us apart - pure and simple. Scotland got what was coming to them.

[StevieC]

Can't believe some of the "dive" accusations on here.
Bale was ghosting past our defenders and into the box for most of the game without going down and when he did his leg was clearly caught, which Maloney admits.
They had a stonewall penalty turned down and the linesman missed an offside in the lead up to Fletchers "goal".

Rather than let a (correct) penalty decision cloud the issues, I'd personally be asking why Maloney (at this stage of his career) was left tracking their best player into the box at that stage of the game. And what Adam was meant to be doing for the 2nd goal.
Two players, that I would say were creative players, left to track their best player.

[tamig]

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Can't believe some of the "dive" accusations on here.
Bale was ghosting past our defenders and into the box for most of the game without going down and when he did his leg was clearly caught, which Maloney admits.
They had a stonewall penalty turned down and the linesman missed an offside in the lead up to Fletchers "goal".

Rather than let a (correct) penalty decision cloud the issues, I'd personally be asking why Maloney (at this stage of his career) was left tracking their best player into the box at that stage of the game. And what Adam was meant to be doing for the 2nd goal.
Two players, that I would say were creative players, left to track their best player.

Indeed. It was happening from the start. And what did Levein do to counter it? Nothing. As I said, Scotland got what was coming to them.

[Steve-O]

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Have you seen Maloney's interview? I don't understand why you seem to be trying to interpret what he saying rather than just take it at face value?

Television footage suggested that Bale had tripped over his own feet in winning the penalty from which he scored the opener, but Shaun Maloney admitted that he clipped the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder.
"I accept responsibility for conceding the penalty," the Scotland midfielder said.

I can't see Maloney saying "I clipped him"?

[Steve-O]

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The camera angles are not helping. personally I think there was very minimal contact on Bale's trailing leg, not enough for him to go down but enough to knock off course and into the back of his planted leg. There are folk complaining about Scotland should have been 2-0 up and plain sailing, but seem to be forgetting the blatant penalty that Wales should have had, after Berra sexually assaulted the lad on the 6 yard line that could have taken the game to 1-1.

The decision to disallow Fletcher's goal was disappointing, BUT.. Charlie Adam was offside prior to swinging the cross in, so justice done if we are going by the letter of the law....

Scotland got what they deserved last night. The sooner we get rid of Levein the better. I just hope they do it soon enough that whoever takes over gets the chance to play competitive games prior to the next euro qualifiers.

So if we are saying Maloney has very slightly brushed his leg, is that a foul? I thought football was a contact sport?

[bingo70]

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Can't believe some of the "dive" accusations on here.
Bale was ghosting past our defenders and into the box for most of the game without going down and when he did his leg was clearly caught, which Maloney admits.
They had a stonewall penalty turned down and the linesman missed an offside in the lead up to Fletchers "goal".

Rather than let a (correct) penalty decision cloud the issues, I'd personally be asking why Maloney (at this stage of his career) was left tracking their best player into the box at that stage of the game. And what Adam was meant to be doing for the 2nd goal.
Two players, that I would say were creative players, left to track their best player.

Agreed.

IMO it was a stone waller and if wales had taken there chances we would have got pumped by about 4 so the reason we lost is definately nothing to do with the ref.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

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Well, thats utter nonsense. Maybe you should try actually watching he clip posted by Steve instead of making up stories to suit your arguement?

Bale's dived. Simple as that.

The referee and linesmen were absolutely terrible tonight. Just about every major decision they called wrong. Wales should have had a pen when Berra bearhugged the CF (What was he playing at there?!) Ramsey should have had a 2nd yellow for simulation. Scotland's goal should never have been chalked off and Bale tripped himself up to win a pen and should have had a 2nd yellow for simulation. Absolute shambles.

A perfect summary of the evenings events.

[TornadoHibby]

Just saw the match highlights on SoccerAM and they also showed a dive from a recent Spurs game when Bale saw a keeper coming out to clear as if a sweeper and times his clear dive to perfection except the cameras show NO CONTACT (again) and fortunately the linesman was close enough to that one (near the touchline) to see that there was no contact, no foul AND no red card for the keeper!

Gone down even further in my estimation as a superb footballer with no morals and no regrets about cheating to beat opponents!

And they say Lance Armstrong cheated too! What's the difference between that and what Bale, Suarez and many other footballers now do to win matches for their teams?

This match deciding disease is now affecting too many games and club (and country) fortunes and ordinary folk will stop watching football live if something effective isn't done about it and very soon!

Tony Pullis made an excellent suggestion recently which would be a good starting point IMO! Ban the divers for three matches starting with the one after the one they dived in with video evidence allowed to be used to compensate for incompetence amongst referees on such matters!

[LaMotta]

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Can't believe some of the "dive" accusations on here.
Bale was ghosting past our defenders and into the box for most of the game without going down and when he did his leg was clearly caught, which Maloney admits.
They had a stonewall penalty turned down and the linesman missed an offside in the lead up to Fletchers "goal".

Rather than let a (correct) penalty decision cloud the issues, I'd personally be asking why Maloney (at this stage of his career) was left tracking their best player into the box at that stage of the game. And what Adam was meant to be doing for the 2nd goal.
Two players, that I would say were creative players, left to track their best player.

Agree with all that.

Bale was impeded so penalty. Maloney got the wrong side of him, then having done so he got too close to him. Having had shouts for pens already then it was inevitable the next claim would be given.

Adam was a disgrace at the second goal, fat lazy turd.